I found myself leaning towards aggressive and darker music this year, with quiet spaces in between. Familiar bands, such as Self Defense Family, Gouge Away, and Super Unison, returned with stellar releases since their last full lengths. New names made their way onto my list as well. Fiddlehead and Regional Justice Center are both new bands (on my radar) that came out with emotionally intense albums. Spiritual Cramp and Miserable both released new music under compilations to combine their previous releases, making for some of the smartest records you can get. Author & Punisher and Hide both created stunning works of electronic/industrial music that are worth embracing. Leaning towards the darker and more ambient sounds, Emma Ruth Rundle and Jaye Jayle, both under the Sargent House roster, were able to release beautiful records and tour together as well.

Of my entire list, I found myself captivated by Daughters the most this year. Probably the most impressive return to recording after a time away sinceModern Life Is War release Fever Hunting in 2013. YWGWYW is an absolute masterpiece of an album, and an instant classic. This year was very generous in emotional releases that transport you to different realms of intense sound.

Albums:

Author & Punisher - ‘Beastland’ (Relapse Records)

Beach House - ‘7’ (Sub Pop Records)

Culture Abuse - ‘Bay Dream’ (Epitaph Records)

Daughters - ‘You Won’t Get What You Want’ (Ipecac Recordings)

Drug Church - ‘Cheer’ (Pure Noise Records)

Emma Ruth Rundle - ‘On Dark Horses’ (Sargent House)

Fiddlehead - ‘Springtime and Blind’ (Run For Cover Records)

Gouge Away - ‘Burnt Sugar’ (Deathwish, Inc.)

Guided By Voices - ‘Space Gun’ (Guided By Voices, Inc.)

Hide - ‘Castration Anxiety’ (Dais Records)

Jaye Jayle - ‘No Trail and Other Unholy Paths’ (Sargent House)

Phoebe Bridgers - ‘Stranger in The Alps’ (Dead Oceans)

Pllush - ‘Stranger To The Pain’ (Father/Daughter Records)

Regional Justice Center - ‘World of Inconvenience’

Self Defense Family - ‘Have You Considered Punk Music’ (Run For Cover Records)